CLOUD FOREST OBSERVATORY
KAʻŪ, HAWAIʻI | ~4,500 FT
JANUARY–SEPTEMBER 2026
MAY 1, 2026 - 9:00 AM | ~4,550 FT
(KCFC)
OBSERVATION
Earthstar fungi (likely Geastrum spp.; family Geastraceae) documented approximately 2 ft below the soil surface, with multiple developmental stages present. Hygroscopic outer rays had reflexed outward, elevating the central spore sac. Multiple fruiting bodies occurred within a localized cluster beneath saturated forest substrate. Morphology indicated readiness for spore dispersal under continued moisture or raindrop disturbance.
ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE
Reflects active fungal decomposition within saturated subsurface microhabitats. The observed hygroscopic morphology demonstrates moisture-responsive dispersal mechanisms that may enhance spore release under favorable environmental conditions.
AUGUST 28, 2026 - 6:52 PM | ~4,510 FT
(KCFC)
OBSERVATION
Standing dead koa (Acacia koa) monitored through progressive fungal colonization and decomposition. A naturally established ʻōhiʻa (Metrosideros polymorpha) seedling was documented emerging from a stem bifurcation within the decomposing trunk concurrent with koa regeneration. A seed is believed to have been deposited during the Kona low storm and subsequently germinated within organic material retained by the fork.
ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE
Illustrates how standing dead wood may function as a regeneration substrate for native vegetation. The concurrent presence of koa, ʻōhiʻa, and fungal communities reflects ecological processes that may contribute to long-term forest succession and structural resilience.
MARCH 30, 2026 - 1:25 PM | ~4,500 FT (KCFC)
OBSERVATION
Naturally established koa (Acacia koa) seedling documented within a primary disturbed pathway beneath closed cloud forest canopy. Continued vertical growth continues to be observed following emergence despite persistent low-light conditions. No recent evidence of browse, insect feeding, stem injury, or foliar discoloration was observed at the time of documentation.
ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE
Demonstrates successful koa establishment within compacted disturbance microsites. Continued vertical growth and leaflet movement are consistent with sustained physiological activity beneath dense native cloud forest canopy.
MAY 1, 2026 — 9:00 AM | ~4,600 FT (KCFC)
OBSERVATION
Earthstar fungi (likely Geastrum spp.; family Geastraceae) identified approximately 2 ft below the soil surface, with multiple developmental stages present. Hygroscopic outer rays had reflexed outward, elevating the central spore sac above saturated soil layers. Specimens appeared positioned for imminent spore dispersal, potentially triggered by continued moisture input or raindrop impact.
INTERPRETATION
Reflects active fungal decomposition and probable mycorrhizal activity within saturated subsurface microhabitats, with hygroscopic dispersal structures responding dynamically to elevated moisture availability.
MARCH 30, 2026 — 1:25 PM | ~4,500 FT (KCFC)
OBSERVATION
Koa (Acacia koa) seedling emerging within a primary disturbed pathway beneath low-light cloud forest canopy conditions. Consistent vertical growth observed following emergence.
INTERPRETATION
Indicates successful koa establishment within compacted pathway soils, with observed phototropic growth and leaflet movement consistent with continued physiological function beneath dense montane cloud forest canopy cover.
MAY 29, 2026 - 5:09 PM | ~4,510 FT
(KCFC)
OBSERVATION
Standing dead koa (Acacia koa) monitored through fungal colonization and progressive wood decomposition. An ʻōhiʻa (Metrosideros polymorpha) seedling was documented emerging from a natural bifurcation within the decomposing parent tree alongside ongoing koa regeneration.
INTERPRETATION
Illustrates how decomposing trees create favorable microhabitats for native species recruitment. The coexistence of koa, ʻōhiʻa, and fungal communities reflects interconnected regeneration processes that support long-term forest resilience.
ECOLOGICAL SPOTLIGHT
SEPTEMBER 2026 | DECOMPOSITION
OBSERVATION
A colony of non-conglobating woodlice, likely Porcellio scaber (Porcellionidae), was documented on a decaying ʻōhiʻa log beneath a mat of Persicaria capitata (pink knotweed) within the conservancy's koa-ʻōhiʻa forest. The tuberculate cuticle and exposed uropods rule out true conglobation, distinguishing it from common rolling pillbugs. Individuals recurred across the site's elevation gradient wherever moisture and decomposition coincided, suggesting a stable population. Identification rests on field photography; genus-level confidence is high, species-level confirmation pending.
ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE
Terrestrial isopods rank among the forest floor's principal decomposers. By fragmenting deadwood and leaf litter into smaller particles, they expand the surface area available to fungi and bacteria, measurably accelerating the return of nutrients to the soil (van Gestel, Loureiro & Zidar, 2018). Laboratory work on this same species has shown that isopod activity increases bacterial abundance and reshapes microbial community structure within decomposing litter (Špaldoňová & Frouz (2014), a quiet mechanical process that keeps a cloud forest's nutrient cycle in motion long after a log has fallen.
MAY 1, 2026 — 9:00 AM | ~4,600 FT (KCFC)
OBSERVATION
Earthstar fungi (likely Geastrum spp.; family Geastraceae) identified approximately 2 ft below the soil surface, with multiple developmental stages present. Hygroscopic outer rays had reflexed outward, elevating the central spore sac above saturated soil layers. Specimens appeared positioned for imminent spore dispersal, potentially triggered by continued moisture input or raindrop impact.
INTERPRETATION
Reflects active fungal decomposition and probable mycorrhizal activity within saturated subsurface microhabitats, with hygroscopic dispersal structures responding dynamically to elevated moisture availability.
MARCH 30, 2026 — 1:25 PM | ~4,500 FT (KCFC)
OBSERVATION
Koa (Acacia koa) seedling emerging within a primary disturbed pathway beneath low-light cloud forest canopy conditions. Consistent vertical growth observed following emergence.
INTERPRETATION
Indicates successful koa establishment within compacted pathway soils, with observed phototropic growth and leaflet movement consistent with continued physiological function beneath dense montane cloud forest canopy cover.
MAY 29, 2026 - 5:09 PM | ~4,510 FT
(KCFC)
OBSERVATION
Standing dead koa (Acacia koa) monitored through fungal colonization and progressive wood decomposition. An ʻōhiʻa (Metrosideros polymorpha) seedling was documented emerging from a natural bifurcation within the decomposing parent tree alongside ongoing koa regeneration.
INTERPRETATION
Illustrates how decomposing trees create favorable microhabitats for native species recruitment. The coexistence of koa, ʻōhiʻa, and fungal communities reflects interconnected regeneration processes that support long-term forest resilience.
_heif.png)
SEPTEMBER 12, 2026 - 11:20 AM | ~4,550 FT
(KCFC)
OBSERVATION
A segmented, unidentified earthworm was documented reworking a mix of composted bark and dark topsoil roughly one foot below the surface. Numerous unidentified vermicular species have been recorded property-wide, including one family grouping with juveniles. Individuals vary visibly by soil composition, from pale, translucent bodies in mulch-heavy substrate to darker, denser-bodied forms in compacted topsoil. Species-level identification is pending; multiple morphotypes suggest more than one species on site.
ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE
Earthworms act as ecosystem engineers, physically restructuring soil as they burrow and feed. They produce nutrient-rich castings that make nitrogen and other elements available to plant roots, while their tunnels improve aeration and water infiltration (Darwin, 1881). That constant burrowing turns spent, compacted ground into fresh growing medium below the surface. Earthworm activity in disturbed soil has been linked to measurable gains in plant growth (van Groenigen et al., 2014). Hawaiʻi has no native earthworm species; every worm here descends from an introduced lineage (Strohecker, 2020).
OBSERVATION
Tiny pale specks, suspected Collembola, were documented scattered across decaying koa phyllodes and leaf litter within a patch of decomposing plant matter. Individuals did not spring or hop when touched, the trait most associated with springtails. Many soil and litter dwelling species carry a reduced furcula, the forked jumping organ, and simply cannot jump. Similar white organisms have since been observed property-wide, appearing anywhere decomposition is underway on the land. Order-level identification remains unconfirmed,
ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE
Where confirmed, Collembola rank among the most abundant soil arthropods on Earth, fragmenting organic matter and grazing fungi into forms more accessible to microbial decomposers (Potapov et al., 2023). Working the surface layer while worms work below, they renew the litter itself, each grazing cycle turning old growth into the raw material of new soil. Densities can reach the tens of thousands per square meter in favorable soils, making confirmed Collembola useful bioindicators of soil health (Rusek, 1998). On this property, isopods, earthworms, and these suspected Collembola have all been documented working the same patches of litter and soil, layering pieces of the same turnover.
SEPTEMBER 24, 2026 - 1:04 PM | ~4,550 FT
(KCFC)
SEPTEMBER 5, 2026 - 9:28 AM | ~4,550 FT
(KCFC)
HELUHELU | FOREST READING
SEPTEMBER 2026 | DECOMPOSITION
Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds & Shape Our Futures
Merlin Sheldrake | Random House, 2020 | New York Times Bestseller
"A 'brilliant [and] entrancing' (The Guardian) journey into the hidden lives of fungi—the great connectors of the living world—and their astonishing and intimate roles in human life, with the power to heal our bodies, expand our minds, and help us address our most urgent environmental problems."
— Penguin Random House
"Grand and dizzying in how thoroughly it recalibrates our understanding of the natural world." — Ed Yong, author of An Immense World
The fungi and decomposers in this month's Ecological Spotlight are doing the quiet work Sheldrake describes, turning fallen wood and leaf litter into new life for the forest.
Fungi shape Hawaiʻi's forests in both directions. Here on the mauka slopes, they break down fallen koa, māmane, and ʻōhiʻa, returning that life to the soil. Beneath the canopy, ʻaʻaliʻi and ʻōhelo rely on root partnerships with fungi to draw nutrients from young volcanic ground. Two introduced fungi also cause Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death, a disease now killing ʻōhiʻa across the islands. Understanding the fungal kingdom helps us care for the forest we are working to protect.
Borrow the ebook or audiobook through the Hawaiʻi State Public Library System.
FOREST READING
SEPTEMBER 2026 DECOMPOSITION
Hurricane Nolo Relief & Recovery
Latest Update: Tuesday, September 29 2026, 4:00pm
KCFC encourages everyone to use caution and to rely on official sources for emergency and recovery information.
Emergency & Official Updates
For current alerts, road conditions, closures, emergency information, and recovery guidance:
Help for Individuals & Families
Aloha United Way: Dial 211
Connect with local health, human services, and disaster recovery resources.
American Red Cross
Emergency shelter, disaster assistance, and recovery support.
He Moku He Wa'a - The island is canoe.
Rely on each other, we all have extra of something.
Land, Farm & Property Recovery
Storm impacts can continue well after the winds and rain have passed. Landowners and stewards should continue to use caution.
Before beginning cleanup, document damage when it is safe to do so. Farmers and agricultural landowners should consult the USDA Farm Service Agency and other appropriate agricultural recovery programs for available assistance.
Forest & Watershed Stewardship After the Storm
Severe storms can reshape forest systems in ways that are not immediately visible. Damage to young native regeneration may become apparent over the days and weeks that follow.
KCFC encourages landowners and conservation partners to observe first, document carefully, and avoid unnecessary disturbance while conditions stabilize.
Photographs taken from the same locations over time can become valuable records of storm impact and ecological recovery.
Recovery takes time. Please check on kūpuna, neighbors, and anyone who may need assistance.
Stay informed. Document what changed. Care for one another.
Recent storms have reinforced the importance of careful observation, long-term planning, and resilient stewardship. KCFC’s 2026–2029 Strategic Plan outlines how we will carry these principles forward so that what we learn today may support the land and future stewards for years to come.